Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- -Sheet; 1i W. P. TAGGART.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 269,485. Patented Dec. 19, 1882.

WITNESSES."

JNVEMIOR:

M L Q (No Model.) 2 Sheets-'-Sheet 2.

W. P. TAGGART.

I GAR COUPLING. No. 269,485. Patented Dec. 19, 1882.

WITNESSES NVE MM QJ N PETERS, PhomLhhu m hor. Waahi n nnnnn C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM P. TAGGART, OF PHGENIXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,485, dated December 19, 1882. Application filed September 22, 1882. (No model.)

To all trlzom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. TAGGART, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Phoenixville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Car- Gouplings, of which the following is aspecitication.

The main object of my invention is to so construct a coupling for railroad-cars that the operations of coupling and uncoupling can be readily effected without the necessity of the brakemanv going between the cars, the coupling being secure, but permitting perfect freedom of movementof the cars in turning curves, and being adapted for the coupling of cars of different heights.

A lurther object of the in ven tion is to adapt the coupling for use upon cars having no bumpers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side view of my improved carcoupling before the coupling is effected Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the same after coupling; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the coupling hook; Fig. 4, Sheet 2, a sectional view, 'showingthe parts in the act'of coupling; Fig. 5, an end view of the draw-head and coupling-hook, and Fig. 6 a plan view of Fig. 3.

A represents one of the draw-heads of a car, and B the draw-head of another car, which is to be coupled to that having the draw-head A. To said draw-head A a hook, D, is pivoted by means of a transverse pin, a, the latter being adapted to slotsb in the sidesof the draw-head, and said slotsbeing open at the top, so that the hook can be readily inserted into or removed from the draw-head when held in such a position that a projection, (1,011 the book will clear a transverse pin, 0, in the head, said projection and pin preventing the accidental displacement of the hook when the cars are coupled. A plate,f, is pivoted to the hook D, and is adapted to close the mouth or opening of said hook, a link, g, on the plate being connected to a chain, h, which extends to any convenient point, so that it may be reached by the brakernan without the necessity of going between the cars.

To the draw-head B a link, F, is pivoted by means of a transverse pin, a, adapted to openended slots bin the head, the means of hangingthe link being similar to those employed for the hook, and said link being likewise pre rented from being accidentally displaced by means of a projection, d, and transverse pin 0.

Pivoted to each of the draw-heads is a yoke, G, and on each yoke is formed a segmental rack, 12:, which engages with a pinion, n, on a shaft passing through the draw-head, said shalt being furnished with a crank, so that it may be readily turned to effect the raising and lowering of the yoke, the latter being retained in any position to which it has been adjusted, owing to the engagement of a spring-pawhp, with the teeth of'the pinion it. These yokes are only intended to be used on cars which are not supplied with bumpers, the yoke of one head, A, being elevated, so as to serve as a bumper, and the yoke of the other head, B, being depressed, so as to be out of the way, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4.

The operation of couplingis as follows: The I hook D is first elevated, as shown in Fig. 1, the chain It being allowed to hang-slack, and the book being supported by the pin 0, so as to have a slight incline rearwardly from the pivot-pin and be thus self-retaining in the position shown. As the cars approach each other the link F enters one of a series of openings, .00, in the yoke G, and said yokecomesinto contact with the end of the draw-head B. The jar due to this contact causes the hook D to fall forward and engage with the link F, as shown in Fig. 4. When the cars are drawn apart the platef falls and closes the opening of the hook, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to effectually prevent the accidental uncoupling of the cars. Uncoupling is eflected by an upward pull upon the chain It, the first effect of which is to lift the plate fand then to elevate the hook. When the hook is fully elevated and the chain It released the linkg is prevented from falling too far by stops y on the book, as shown in Fig. 1.

The object of providing the yokcs G with a series of perforations .r is to permit the coupling together of cars of different heights; but

it will be evident that a single openingof large size in the yoke would answer the same pun pose. Such a large opening, however, would detract. somewhat from the strength of the yoke. Either the hook end or the link end of ICC proved coupling permits ample movement of my improved coupling can be coupled to an 1 transverse pin, a, adapted to open-ended slots ordinary link-and-pin draw-head, and the imthe cars in respect to each other in turning curves.

The object of providing the draw-head B, as well as the head 'A, with a yoke G is to. permit the coupling of said head B to a car having a projecting hook, the yoke of the head B in this case acting as a bumper, and the link being caused to drop onto the hook in the same manner as the hook D drops into the link.

In some cases the draw-heads A and B may be permitted to slide longitudinally, in which case the fall of the hook or link may be caused by direct contact with the end of the car as the head slides inward, instead of being due solely to the jar caused when the cars come together. i

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a draw-head with a hook or link pivoted thereto by means of a b in the head, as set forth.

2. The combination of the draw-head having open-ended slots 1) and a transverse pin, a. with the hook or link having a pivot-pin, a, and projection d, as set forth.

.3. The combination of the draw-head A with the hook D, pivoted thereto, and having a closing plate,f, and means for lifting the same, as set forth. I

4. The combination of a draw-head with a yoke, (Jr, adapted to serve as a bumper, as specified.

5. The combination of a draw-head with a yoke, G, adapted to serve as a bumper, and having a s ries of openings, 00, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name tothis specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAh'L P. TAGGART.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. BROWER, l). W. BROWER. 

